The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1887-07-14
DOWNFALL Of THE G. o. P.
The Democratic Tidal Wave Of 's2 the
Precursor Of Republican DsisatlA 's4.
The Causes Of Blaina'S DSfeat-Tho Demo
cratic Party IS Again this Party Of
the Day---ClSvelAnd Likely
to Succeed Himself
written expressly for the DEMooRAr.l

The downfall OF the Republican par
dates as far back as the year 1880. TIL
seeds of destruction were s0wn about
that time and soon thereafter they grew
to maturity, producing widespread dis
satisfaction all along the Republican
lines. The party that came into power
In 1850 through split In the Democrat
10 ranks, had become a most powerful
political organization. 1t had twice
elected Lincoln ard twice Grant. Al
though II elected Lincoln by q minority
vote, yet by its long and continued lease
Of power 1t had the braEen audacity to
count in and Inaugurate its presidential
candidates whether 1t had elected them
or not. This was the case In 1875, when
Samuel j. Tilden was elected President
by a quarter of q million Of popular
majority, and by prOOOrtiOnate major
ity of the Electoral College, but was
deprived of the otfi,e by the most cum
ningly and nnscruDulOusIy organized
fraud ever attempted IN the history of
American politics. Since the admins.
tration of Grant the Republican party
has continued itself In power. not by
the will of the people, but by prostitut
ing the government aud violating the
written and unwritten laws Of the con
stItutiOn.
Sometime before the National ReDub-
lican Convention assembled IN 1880, the
party divided Itself into two factions,
viz the Stalwarts and Halt breeds, the
former advocating the nomination Of
General Grant for third term, aud the
latter the nomination Of Blaine. The
convention met In June Of that year
and was held at Chicago. Its session
lasted six days aud 1t was one Of the
hottest, bitterest and most stu6bOrnly
contested conventions that Was ever
held by any party In Americ3, with the
single exception of the Democratic Con,
VentiOn of 1860, which terminated 10
bolt over the slavery question, and
brought the Republican party into
power. 1t was very evident at this time
that the nomination Il either Blaine or
Grant would engender division In the
party, as the nomination Of Breck,n-
ridge Just twenty years before breeded
revolt in the Democratic party, and the
long and fieTcely contested struggle was
only ended by the nomination Of an un-
Objectionable candidate, on the thirty
sixth ballot, that had not been allied
with ether faction, In the person Of
James A. Garfield.
The defeat of Blaine for second time
in the National Convention was severe
blow to his Presidential aspirations, nut
he could console himself with the salts
fatiOn of knowing that he succeeded In
battering down the third term "stone
WALL" that had been so ably and care
fully constructed by the mighty 1905"
under the supervision Of COnkling, Cam
erOn and Logan. The Democrats, two
weeks later, took up Gen, Hancock, and
for three months after his nomination,
the drift was decidedly In his favor. Il
seemed as II the seeds Of destruction
that were s0wn short time before
were being constantly nourished and
watered by Conkling and his followers,
Maine had gone Democratic In Septem.
Der, with the supreme eXertions Of
Blaine enlisted In behalf Of the Repub
llcan ticket. The Democratic papers
called 1t Republican Waterloo, aud
the opinion was almost universal that
General Hancock would be the next
President. Conkling was still smsrting
under the Dangs Of hls defeat at the
convention. Cameron had previously
resigned as chairman Of the national
committee, and absolutely refused 10
shoulder the responsibility, and every
thing pointed Enthusiastically to Repub
llcsn overthrow In November. The
battle for Garfield all through the sum-
III At had been against fearful gale and
tide, and something had to be done sOon
to prevent Republican catastrophe
from taking place. A council Of war
was held at the residence Of Garfield Dy
the leading politicians of the party
One thing, and one thing only, would \
save them from disaster. Indiana would |
vote In October. Could they carry 1t?
II they could there would be strong
hopes of electing Garfield. They re
solved to do 1t by the lavish use of |
money, and Immediately entered upon |
campaign Of desperation. A great part |
of this money was contributed by un.
scrupulous contractors and shameless
jobbers, that had bargsined for unlRw-
full profits and high cffice. The rest was
raised bv taxing all federal Office
holders, from President Hayes down
to the government bootblack two
per cent. OF their salaries. Hundreds |
Of thousands Of dollars were dunpad
inIO Indiana to carry that State iD 0ctO
ber at all bsZad', In order to prejudice |
the sentiment against Hancock, and Ia |
throw ths floating vote for Garfield
ConkIing had by this time become
reconciled and was sent out there TO
make epseches. All the best oratorical
timber In the party was gathered 10 |
gether and shipped there. The battle |
was between the Democracy of Indiana
and the Republicans Of the United |
States, and for the Democrats to carry
kha AkNko a oUaNndf onnh nhhO vunnIhs ha 4
next to q political miracle. The elec-
tiOn finally came off and the thoroughly
Democratic State Of Indiana, that had
been giving Democratic msjorities at |
her State elections since 1872, was
rescued from her Democratic m0Orings,
by the lavish use OF boCdle. This chilled
the hopes Of the Democracy, and every
Democrat felt as II he had wet blanket |
thrown around him. 1t gave the Repub.
licans the underground. Garfield
was elected the following month, receiv- |
Ing q plurality Of the popular vote and
q majority Of the ELECTORAL vote. In
every State except California and
Nevada the Republicans made gains on
Hayes'S vote, and In many States the
vote Of Hancock fell below that Of Til
den's. In addition to this the Republi-
cans captured the Senate from the DEM
OCrats and also the House Of Represen-
tatives, which had been In their posses
sion since 1874. So what appeared to be
q waterloo" for the Republicans In
September Of that year, almost turned
out to be waterloo" for the Demo
Gratis in November. II was q great Be-
publican victory but as we shall soon
see II was the victory OF death.
On the 4th day Of March, 1881, Gar.
field was inauguTated President with .